"Rock n' Roll (Will Take You to the Mountain)" Released: June 20, 2011
Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites is the second extended play (EP) by American electronic music producer Skrillex. It was released exclusively through Beatport on October 22, 2010 through mau5trap and Big Beat Records, while being released on December 20 for digital download via other online retailers and on March 1, 2011 as a physical release. It was recorded in 2010 at Skrillex's apartment using a laptop.[1] The EP features guest contributions from Penny, Foreign Beggars and Bare Noize as well as remixes done by Noisia, Zedd and Bare Noize. It won two Grammys at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards: one for Best Dance Recording, and another for Best Dance/Electronica Album.
Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jon O'Brien from AllMusic gave the EP a positive review, saying, "The three remixes from Noisia, Bare Noize, and Zedd are solid if unspectacular, with only the latter's chilled-out version of the title track providing anything wildly different from the originals. But the invention showcased on the first six bass-heavy anthems is more than enough to suggest that the U.S. has found someone who is capable of selling the dubstep sound back to its South London homeland".[12]Alternative Press also gave a positive review, saying, "On Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, Moore has hit his mash-up groove, combining monster dance riffs with melodic ambience. The EP title is fitting, since these nine tracks (three of which are remixes) embody both sides of Moore; the rambunctious, punk-rock kid who screamed his head off in From First to Last (see the chaos of 'Kill EVERYBODY'), but also the melodic, pensive adult who can seamlessly collaborate with pop singers like Penny and producers and rappers like Bare Noize and Foreign Beggars".[13]
As a mosquito repellent
A study found that "female mosquitoes exposed to music ["Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites"] attacked hosts much later than their non-exposed peers." [16] Although this observation at first glance is humorous, it indicates that repetitive tones (a signature of "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites") can serve as a more environmentally friendly means of pest control (versus pesticides).
The EP has since become a moderate commercial success. In the United States, it has reached a peak of number forty-nine on the Billboard200, and has spent more than thirty weeks within the chart.[17] It has also reached the summit of the BillboardHeatseekers Albums chart, as well as number three on the Dance/Electronic Albums.[18] It reached number twenty-eight on the ARIA Charts in Australia.[3]
As of October 3, 2013, the single "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" has reached double platinum status, with sales of over 2,000,000 copies [19]
^Dieng, H.; The CC; Satho, T.; Miake, F.; Wydiamala, E.; Kassim NFA; Hashim, N. A.; Morales Vargas, R. E.; Morales, N. P. (2019). "The electronic song "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" reduces host attack and mating success in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti". Acta Tropica. 194: 93–99. doi:10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.03.027. PMID30922800.